Archive for May, 2010

UNION COUNTY — Nobody got fired when taxpayers shelled out $800,000 in damages and legal fees for two employees who proved they were passed over for promotion so the son of Union Mayor Joseph Florio could get an $8,000 pay hike. »

LINDEN -- Linden Police officers will be cracking down on unbuckled motorists and passengers as part of the national "Click It or Ticket" campaign. »

TRENTON— An ongoing project to create connections between I-78 and the Garden State Parkway at Interchange 142 will require the relocation of a crossover ramp on I-78 westbound from the Local lanes to Express lanes, as well as an extension of a lane closure on I-78 eastbound. »

ROSELLE -- Boro Council President Jamel Holley's action to give himself $5,000 a year in addition to his current salary has incensed a political detractor. »

UNION — The crushing weight of high property taxes in this ailing economy has prompted two young fathers to mount a rare challenge to the entrenched township politicians. »

RAHWAY -- Several people were arrested in January for underage drinking when six state Division of Criminal Justice agents raided a bar owned by the school board president. »

ELIZABETH -- Former school board President Armando DaSilva has always felt inspired to serve the public but he decided to run for city council after he returned from an afternoon shopping trip to find his home had been burglarized on New Year's Eve. »

OLD BRIDGE -- Construction of a cap for the Global Landfill in Old Bridge is under way to provide final containment of a Superfund site that has been an environmental concern in the area for many years, Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Bob Martin announced Thursday. »

ELIZABETH – City Council members have been critical of public spending for Elizabeth’s school system, with some going so far as to campaign against the school budget this year, but evidence suggests that the Board of Education has been more frugal than City Hall. »

WOODBRIDGE – To encourage parents and teens to take a pledge to eliminate distractions from their cars, Allstate New Jersey Insurance Company is sponsoring a Family Driving Challenge. »

RAHWAY — The Merchants and Drovers Tavern Museum Association will be hosting an “afternoon tea” on Saturday, May 22, at 2 p.m. in the museum, located at 1632 St. Georges Avenue, on the corner of Westfield Avenue in Rahway. »

AVENEL – Local government officials will celebrate Avenel Day 2010 with Avenel residents and neighbors on Saturday, May 22. The day’s events include a parade, festival and a picnic at Mayor Frank G. Pelzman Memorial Park in Avenel. »

WOODBRIDGE – Township officials, area veterans and families of military personnel serving overseas will honor Woodbridge-area troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan at the annual “Support Our Troops” rally on Wednesday, May 26. »

EDISON -- Edison residents are invited to attend a free educational seminar, focusing on the physical and psychological adjustments both patient and family will encounter as a result of a stroke, on Wednesday, June 2 at 11:30 a.m. at the Edison Senior Citizen Center, 2963 Woodbridge Avenue »

UNION COUNTY – The Concerned Citizens of Union County (CCUC) are planning to hold a weekly Friday after noon vigil, beginning today, to oppose the construction of a TD Bank branch at the corner of Morris and North Avenues on the Elizabeth, Hillside and Union border. The vigil will take place from 5-6 p.m. »

Musical Theatre • May 21 at 7 p.m.; May 22 at 2 p.m. & 7 p.m.; May 23 at 3 p.m. – The Forum Theatre Arts Center, 314 Main St., Metuchen, will present “Grease” performed by the theatre’s Stars on Stage. »

MIDDLESEX COUNTY -- Do you have questions about the best way to water your tomatoes? Maybe you found an unfamiliar bug in your house. If you find yourself asking these types of questions, Middlesex County’s Extension office is ready to assist you with the Master Gardener Helpline. »

ROSELLE PARK--The Women's Ministry of the Church of the Assumption in cooperation with Bethlehem Judah Christian Fellowship of Elizabeth and the Interfaith Council of Roselle/Roselle Park/Linden/Elizabeth is sponsoring a “Unity in Prayer” gathering on June 6 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Michael J. Mauri Gazebo Park located on the corner of Chestnut... »

STATE -- The New Jersey Department of Education released preliminary results showing that thousands of students who had previously failed the High School Proficiency Assessment (HSPA), have successfully passed required assessment tests, demonstrating they had mastered the basic skills needed to earn a high school diploma. »

SCRANTON, Pa. -- Megan Etzel of Clark was among the 174 University of Scranton students inducted into Alpha Lambda Delta, the national honor society of freshmen, at a ceremony held recently on campus. »